Star Trek Into Darkness

Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!

Today's review is Star Trek Into Darkness.

Directed by J. J. Abrams.

Written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci & Damon Lindelof.

Based on the TV show "Star Trek" created by Gene Roddenberry.

Review #213

MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.

Run Time: 132 min

Cast

Chris Pine...Kirk

Zachary Quinto...Spock

Zoe Saldana...Uhura

Karl Urban...Bones

Simon Pegg...Scotty

John Cho...Sulu

Benedict Cumberbatch...Khan

Anton Yelchin...Chekov

Bruce Greenwood...Pike

Peter Weller...Marcus

Alice Eve...Carol

First and foremost.

This review is dedicated to the greatest Trekkie I have EVER known.

My father. Fernando Rodriguez.

I miss you pop. This one's for you!

In 2009, J. J. Abrams did something that many thought was impossible. He made the Star Trek franchise relevant again. He did it by making a major roll of the dice by starting over and giving fans new and old a fresh take on the series. He rebooted the franchise and gave it's beloved characters a bit of a facelift by introducing origins and backgrounds for each member. A gutsy move that could have had disastrous consequences.

It didn't.

What happened was a loving embrace of what Abrams and company were trying to do with the beleaguered franchise. I'm sure all of the goodwill Abrams acquired creating Lost didn't hurt his case when he was tapped to direct the 2009 reboot, but the fact remains to this day that Abrams is one kick ass storyteller. His ability to make hard core fans forget everything they loved about the original Star Trek show or films and focus their full attention to his retelling of the sci fi classic is nothing more than pure talent and genius.

So it would be safe to say that with practically the same team returning for the inevitable sequel that we would have another hit on our hands right?

The answer is Yes and unfortunately No.

Plot

After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. 

Before I get into this review I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I enjoyed this film very much. There is a ton to like about Star Trek Into Darkness. A lot of feedback from my review of Mud gave the impression that I didn't like it when in fact I very much enjoyed that film. I did bash the negatives a lot more than stressing the positives so I can see the slanted view. I'm preparing you for the same thing here because even though I liked this film a lot I intend to DESTROY some aspects of the film that I absolutely HATED with every fiber of my being.

Consider yourself warned.

I'll kick things off with the good. The film doesn't waste any time getting into the action and suspense. The opening scene sets the stage for a knock down drag out spectacle of stunts and things that go boom. It was very impressive and a lot of fun overall. Secondly, although this movie has a few script flaws that I will get into very soon. The film as a whole was very well crafted and presented. There really weren't any abstract scenes that broke continuity or dragged it down. From start to finish the film was smartly constructed. It was clear that Abrams and his team realized what was needed to move the franchise forward and got things off to a great start. The next thing he did was focus the film on the franchises most popular characters.

Kirk and Spock.

Just like the first film established their relationship. This one expands on it on a very personal and emotional level. The 2009 entry introduced an humanity in Spock that wasn't present in the show or the previous films. Being half Human, half Vulcan, Spock contained an imbalance that was fresh and fun. He may still have thought and acted with logic as his prime directive but there were flashes of his human side and it's magnified here on several occasions. With Kirk, he's the same cowboy gunslinger from the first film. Only this time he's in charge. A very dangerous combination but as well all know. Kirk is no fun any other way. This is addressed in a very predictable yet entertaining way which sets the stage for what's coming our way later.

The film isn't just the Spock and Kirk show. Abrams once again does a good job giving the rest of the crew ample screen time and more importantly, things to do. They are not just background. They each play a role in the story and lend a specific talent or skill to create the perfect blend. Abrams like Joss Whedon is a good ensemble director. He knows how to juggle a large cast and gives each member both the respect and attention they deserve. Considering there are so many Star Trek fans who all have a love for every character, it's really a skill to make sure none of the fans favorites are cheated. The man knows how to drive characters with his stories. He writes/directs them to make them as compelling as humanly possible without sacrificing the integrity of the whole project. He also creates compelling villains. Segueing nicely to a great addition to the franchise.

A man named....Khan Noonien Singh.

The introduction of this classic character was no pun intended the logical direction to go with this sequel. Khan is arguably the greatest villain of the previous films. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is also arguably the best film of the series. So it was a no brainer. And it's here boys and girls where Star Trek Into Darkness succeeds and fails. Benedict Cumberbatch was simply a bad ass and superb as Khan. His monotone, gruff voice bellowed through the Enterprise like the voice of God. It was a chilling take on the classic character that was previously portrayed by the stoicism and sophistication of Ricardo Montalban. Cumberbatch played Khan in a very similar way as Montalban. He was ruthless but calculating and cunning. The perfect kind of villain. Nothing beats a bad guy who uses the strongest weapon the human body possesses. The brain. The Enterprise and it's crew were no match for Khan and because of this undeniable fact, the writers did the worst possible thing they could have done to stop him.

They cheated.

Here is where the bashing will commence.

For a good hour plus. Star Trek Into Darkness had reeled me in. I was on board with everything they had done. Until I realized what they had done and where they were going. This could be a spoiler so I will bold and italicize the text. In a nutshell they remade Wrath of Khan. With some subtle and not so subtle differences.

OK. You can continue reading. This wasn't so bad but then they went ahead and did something that I absolutely HATED! I won't reveal what it was but if you were paying attention, the film foreshadows both the moment I'm speaking of and how it gets resolved. It was total call back to Wrath of Khan and completely unnecessary. The film had done such a great job of making it it's own despite the inclusion of a classic character as it's villain.Then they went a step further and revisited a character from the first film. It shouldn't be hard to figure out who I'm talking about. I was HORRIFIED they went this route for two reasons. First, just like the Wrath of Khan call back it was unnecessary. Secondly, it was such a major cheat that showed the crew's, particularly Spock's inability to solve problems on their own. To put the cherry on top. The solution Spock comes up with to defeat Khan was something he could have come up with on his own. There was no need to seek help from his "friend." This was lazy writing and an excuse to bring someone back from the first film.

Self serving. Ridiculous and STUPID!

This disappointed me to no end and sadly distorted my feelings about this film as a whole. It's impossible to figure out who is responsible for this but I hope they are satisfied with what they did because I for one AM NOT! What's even more upsetting is that Star Trek Into Darkness is a really good film that takes a fall which was easily preventable. It's a good addition to the franchise and with Abrams laying the groundwork, the future looks bright for the crew of the Starship Enterprise.

It's unclear if he will be back for the next installment. He's gonna be a bit busy with another little film called Star Wars Episode VII. The geek community is in a tizzy with the news that a new set of Star Wars films are being made. Then when Abrams was announced as the director for the first film. The geek world collectively passed out. He's the perfect choice to take this on. If he can come anywhere close to Star Wars with what he did with Star Trek then look out boys and girls.

But this still is a Star Trek review so I leave you with this final thought.

Would my pop have liked this film?

I think he would have but the things that I hated about this film would have sent him into a Hulk like FRENZY! That's a fact. It's really a shame because this film was good but was afraid to be great.

On the 5 star scale. Star Trek Into Darkness gets 2.5 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.

That's a wrap for today. Up next is After Earth. 

Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"

"D"